When World's Collide
by Jayness
Summary: Zack is caught by Lydecker and when escaping runs into a distraught girl. Despite his better judgment he gets conned into helping her discover the mystery surrounding her father's death and a new item Manticore is trying very hard to keep secret


**_When World's Collide_**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dark Angel nor do I profit off of the television series in any way.

**Summary:** Zack is caught by Lydecker and when escaping runs into a distraught girl. Despite his better judgment he gets conned into helping her discover the mystery surrounding her father's death and a new item Manticore is trying very hard to keep secret.

**Author's note:** Slightly AU…mostly because it's been a LONG time since I watched the show but out of nowhere was hit with the urge to write something on it.

**Year: 2001**

"It is safe now, and I promise nothing will come to harm."

"Thank you." Smile. Last breath escapes.

Sigh. "May the good find peace in the eternal sleep."

"How are you holding up my friend? I know this has been difficult."

"About as well as can be expected I guess, I thank you for your help. You have been a friend like no other in this matter." Small hug.

"It was nothing." Releases embrace.

"No it wasn't. We could both be dead along with her and you know it." Looks down.

"Let us not think about that, your wife has just given birth to a child, we should celebrate."

"Yes." Leave.

**Year: 2009**

The boy saluted his hand and signed to the others. The message was simple. Run, evade and separate. He saw the questioning look in his younger sister's eyes but shook his head "no." This was not the time. It would be better this way. 'We will have a life' he willed her to understand. At his signal the others ran and the race was on. Men with dogs could be heard behind them. The boy smiled, as if this was even a challenge. He swung out and killed an officer who had gotten too close to a little brother. He yelled at the child to run. He looked again, and his sister had fallen through the ice. He went towards her, to save her, but bullets came shooting towards him. With a look back he ran. He knew deep down that she could take care of herself, and if she couldn't there were others who he needed to help finish this final mission. He killed a few more men and stopped when he heard three of his, had been captured and another two killed. He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them they seemed twenty years older. Without a look back he jumped. He was free. They were free. He let them out. He knew then, he had to protect them, all of them. From anything and everything.

She giggled and fell off her new rocking horse. She thanked her dad and scrunched her nose as he checked to make sure she was okay. Her friends would be so jealous to hear about her new treasure. She pushed her dad away and climbed back up. She had no care in the world.

**Year: 2017**

He'd checked up on the last of his family. All were safe and living as normal a life as they were going to. He smiled to know that what he did those years ago was the right choice. Sometimes he wondered. But deep down he knew anything would have been better than _that place_. Despite the fact he had no fear, he still cringed saying the name. No, it didn't matter anymore. 'We are safe'. His family would always be safe with him around. He would chase down any who threaten the people closest to him, even at the price of his own life. He knew they, his family, would always have to run, always look over their shoulders, but he would make sure they always ran towards something better.

She cried with delight at the tickling fingers and swung her arms around her boyfriend. She turned her gaze over his shoulder and smiled at a cop. She took a moment to reflect on how nice it was to live somewhere that had the means to make sure no one had to look over their shoulders and live in fear. Yes, at that moment, with strong arms wrapped around her and the sun smiling down, the sixteen year old had never felt safer.

**Year: 2022 or The Present**

_March 13_

"Go!" Zack shouted to his sister and her husband, "I'll take care of this!" Tinga nodded, knowing a command when she heard one. Zack turned around and shot at Lydecker's men. Lately it seemed wherever he was, they were close behind. He heard a truck screech away without followers. He smiled to himself knowing at least Tinga had safely gotten away. Men closed in around him and he flicked a piece of blond hair out of his eyes.

"Hmm, Ten of you, one of me? Here, let me tie my hands behind my back to even the odds." He smirked at the soldiers. 'Soldiers please, lets see these lackeys survive two minutes in psy-ops.' He sneered. The men came at him, they didn't stand a chance. Lightning quick reflexes and perfectly executed hand combat rendered half the men dead or unable to fight any longer in moments. Zack laughed at the men left who had begun to back away. So absorbed in finishing off his job he didn't realize the man sneaking up behind him.

"ZAAPP!"

Lydecker put away the tazor. He knew the effects wouldn't last long. This was one of his kids, and one of the best at that.

"Quick, shackle him up and put him in the van. We got to move here people."

"Yes sir."

"You, where are the others?" Lydecker asked.

"They escaped sir. This one held us off as they drove away." The soldier looked down in embarrassment and fear.

"I see." Lydecker said and then walked away. "Zack, you are a thorn, but damn boy are you good at what I trained you to be." He couldn't help the fatherly pride. He smiled knowing how sick that pride would have made the source of it, now lying unconscious and chained.

_March 14_

Zack woke up groggy in his cell to a man in a lab coat hooking him up to a blood transfusion.

"You really shouldn't have tried to escape this soon." The scientist said with a smile and hint of Indian accent.

Zack eyed the tan doctor with the thinning black hair and warm brown eyes but said nothing. Paranoia and distrust was ingrained into him and no one who knew his upbringing could blame him.

"I've brought you some food." The man continued unaware of the hostile look he was being given. "It should give you enough strength to try again." Zack eyed him warily at this statement. The man laughed and winked, "Shh, our secret. I'm Dr. Deol."

Zack nodded, as much positive greeting as he would give anyone who worked here. Dr. Deol dropped down and lowered his voice as softly as it would go, knowing the X-5 would be able to hear.

"I've added some adrenaline into the stew, eat it last and when you have an actual plan this time." Zack nodded in surprise but couldn't withhold a glare to the last part. Finally he spoke,

"Why?" he asked with a hint of curiosity and mistrust.

"Lets just say I've begun to invent the saying, 'Keep your friends close and enemies closer.'" Dr. Deol replied.

Zack looked unconvinced and replied, "Which one am I?"

The doctor sighed, "Listen son, it doesn't matter what you think, or who's side I may or may not be on, but know this, I have no love for this place. None." He looked at Zack for a moment, almost evaluating him, and mumbled something to himself, something even Zack couldn't determine.

Sick of talking Zack went back to silence and soon Dr. Deol unhooked the transfusion machine and was gone, but not before whispering, "I probably won't get a chance to be back, so good luck." Zack made no comment.

Zack surveyed the food but wasn't hungry. He had been trained to survive weeks without eating much. He did drink the water though and then sat in the corner of his cell thinking. He cursed his luck that had brought him back into the heart of Manticore. 'Well there's no use dwelling on that now.' He thought. After thinking it over he figured he could definitely be free by tomorrow night. Right now he just hoped none of his family got it in their stupid heads to save him. He could think of one irresponsible little sister in Seattle who might get that thought.

_March 15_

She smiled softly to herself as she snuggled closer into her boyfriend, 'No fiancée's now!' arms. She could barely keep the laughter bubbling inside her down. She looked at the clock, and the red light flashed 2:32 am at her. She turned to face her future husband Sam, and lightly ran a finger through his brown hair. He made a small noise and scrunched up his face in an unconscious protest. She let out a light laugh and thought, 'Tora Henderson, definitely has a ring to it.' She couldn't believe how blissfully happy she was right now but just as that thought came it was chased away with the urge to have to use the bathroom badly.

"Of course!" She said out loud but quietly, she didn't want to wake up the tall sleeping form of the man beside her. She got up slowly with little movement, and wrapped herself in her robe as she made her way to the bathroom. She stared at the mirror after she was finished, not at all surprised at how awake she looked. As the pretty young face stared back at her with large teasing golden brown eyes that said, 'Bet you wish we were sleepy!' she groaned and bit her bottom lip out of habit. She had always suffered from insomnia among other things. She was on sleeping pills at night and metabolic pills during the day, two things she had in large supply. She tried yawning as she made her way back to bed, slipping under the covers after tossing away the robe and pushing herself back into the groove of Sam's body.

"No use." She muttered. "Guess I'll just have to wait it out and suffer in the morning." Tora closed her eyes in a futile effort to summon sleep but just as she was resigning herself to boredom until the morning the phone rang.

"BRIING! BRRIINNGG!"

"Alright, calm down." She muttered, running a hand through her long black curls. She felt Sam stir awake beside her and bring the blanket over his head. "Hello?" she asked wondering who would be calling at this time of the night.

"Tora?"

"Uncle Terry?"

"Sorry to call you this late, but there's been an emergency-your father's in the hospital."

"What? Is he alright? What happened?" Tora panicked and Sam, at the note in her voice, sat up as well watching her.

"I can't really explain, but come as quickly as you can in the morning, I don't know how long he will last-it's pretty bad." Said Terry.

"Of course I'll be there, but what do you mean it's hard to explain? This is my dad!"

"I know dear, just trust me on this. I can't talk anymore, just remember to hurry and as odd as this may sound-don't tell anyone."

"Sam's here though and it's 2:41 in the morning, I can't exactly say you called to say hi!" Tora said looking at Sam who was still staring at her.

"Fine tell him, it can't be helped, but don't give details." With that last word Terry hung up leaving Tora confused and worried. 'Details? Like you gave any! Oh well at least I wasn't sleeping anyway.' She thought knowing that even if she could fall asleep after this there would have been no way.

"Tora? What's wrong? Who was that?" Sam asked quietly his shaggy hair falling in his face as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.

"Uncle Terry." Tora replied, "Dad's in the hospital not doing so well."

"What? Come here! Did he say what happened?" Sam opened his arms for his girlfriend and stared at her intently. Tora went to him without protest.

"No, he just said to make sure I got to the hospital first thing in the morning, as if I'd do anything else."

"Shh, well we'll do that but for now you're going to have to get some sleep. Want me to get you one of your pills?"

"No I'll be fine."

"Don't worry babe, Dr. Deol's going to be alright, or should I call him dad too?" Sam soothed and despite the worry and nerves building up inside of her Tora managed to smile.

"Yeah, I know." She answered but inside thought, 'I hope so."

Zack meditated in his cell fully alert and awake despite the early time of 3:18. He smiled to himself in the dark and whispered, "It's just a matter of hours now."


End file.
